Poetry month is over and I am now thirty poems richer.
You may ask, what's the difference between a poem and a few words jotted down on paper? I would argue that it is intention. The poet's intention at the outset to write something more than just a series of words. Expressiveness, meaning, depth are what turn a note to your spouse about the plums in the fridge into a poem. Just ask anyone who has read William Carlos Williams', "This is Just to Say."
So, can I confidently say that I have 30 poems that I didn't have before? Sure. I just don't have 30 good poems. I have a some pieces that I'm proud of, a few that need work but may eventually become something, and quite a few that will never see the light of day.
Would I recommend other writers try this? Absolutely. Writing every day unclogs the spigot. Specifically, writing without inhibition, direction, or expectations does wonders to create a flow state. A good example of this happened on a day that I didn't have any especially inspirational thoughts. I decided to describe something around me, which prompted me to write an ode to the scone on my breakfast plate, which then evolved into a poem about classism. Creativity works in mysterious ways.
Though, for a thing done in volume, quality isn't necessarily the goal. It's the act of completion, the reward intrinsic to the act. In the end, though I do not have a publishable chapbook of works from this month's efforts, I have done something that has given me a lot of fuel for the future.
Many thanks to those who commented on my initial post and on social media. I hope you liked the little poems inspired by you.
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